For
over thirty years I have been working with glass in various forms,
including stained glass, fusing and jewelry. Creating flamework
beads for the last tvelve years was a natural transition into
another aspect of working with glass. The day I turned on a torch
for the first time, melted glass onto a mandrel and made my first
wonky beads. I knew at that point I was addicted! There is something
very magical for me in the transformation of sheets of glass into
an object that transmits light and color as is the melting of
glass rods in the flame and creating beads of all colors and shapes.

Predominantly,
I use "soft glass" rods that are imported from Italy
called Moretti/Effetre/Vetrofond glass. Additionally I use Bullseye
from Portland, Oregon, Lauscha from Germany, CIM, and Czech glass.
Some work is "hard glass", borosilicate, by Glass Alchemy
and Northstar. A GTT Phantom torch that combines oxygen and propane
is used to melt the glass to form the beads. Then they can be
embellished with handmade twisties, stringers, latticino, silver,
gold, copper foil, dichoric glass, or millefiore. All beads are
cleaned and kiln annealed to ensure a lifetime of enjoyment.

In
Spring (2007) we were fortunate to combine all our glass art into
our new studio located on our property. It is set up for teaching
up to three students at a time for lots of one-on-one instruction
in basic, intermediate, and specialty classes. I am a member of
the International Society of Glass Beadmakers, Self Representing
Artists and the Rocky Mountain Flameworkers, our local group.

My
husband, the Crazy Man of Crazy Woman Glass, and I have lived
in Lakewood, Colorado for the last thirty-two years.